New Targeted Topical Relief for Pain

June 27, 2011

Ask any doctor who are the most frequent visitors to their surgery and fairly high up the list are people with pain from bad backs, arthritis and muscular aches and pains. Dr Chris Steele, from ITV’s This Morning programme, recently said that although most GPs routinely prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatories (NSAID’S, usually in pill form but they often don’t solve the problem without some side effects. Nor are side effects the only problem, there is also the risk – when codeine is prescribed for long-term pain – of addiction to the painkillers themselves.

What many doctors are not prescribing however is a more effective, faster, route to pain relief without side-effects but which is happily now available over the counter.

There are literally millions of people in the UK who regularly suffer pain triggered by work, lifestyle or injury and for most of us our response is to turn to the medicine cabinet and swallow a couple of painkillers. Now there is another solution: new research by the makers of Deep Relief – an innovative dual action, topical pain relief gel – has shown in clinical trials that their topically applied gel targets the pain and brings faster relief more effectively than painkillers do.

It does this through a unique combination of two active ingredients – ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and levomenthol. Ibuprofen reduces inflammation, the main source of pain, while levomenthol produces a cooling and counter-irritant effect to help minimise pain signals. In addition, ibuprofen is quickly absorbed through the skin thanks to its synergistic effect with levomenthol.

They also ran tests against the other leading pain gel medications and Deep Relief gel was found to be absorbed faster and more effectively so that it gave relief longer than two other topical pain relief gels (Ibuleve Speed Relief Gel and Ibuprofen Gel).
Commenting on these latest research results, Colin Brown, Director of Research and Quality Development at Mentholatum, makers of Deep Relief, said: “The laboratory data suggests that that the presence of levomenthol in the Deep Relief gel results in more of the ibuprofen being delivered quicker up to four hours after application compared to the other formulations tested. Such findings suggest an obvious synergistic effect between levomenthol and ibuprofen, helping delivery of the ibuprofen.

These latest findings follow earlier research, which showed how Deep Relief gel can significantly reduce pain. In a placebo controlled trial at St George’s Hospital and Medical School, London, 225 patients aged 16 to 60 with sprained ankles were given Deep Relief, a menthol only formulation or a placebo. The patient group using Deep Relief gel showed significant improvement in pain reduction when walking, standing and at rest, with lesser effects seen in the menthol-only group. As a result, this research and the latest laboratory research we have just commissioned, continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Deep Relief dual formulation of ibuprofen and levomenthol.

Chronic and persistent pain can be extremely debilitating, leading to depression in around 16% of people who have it. Long-term use of painkillers certainly carries other risks too: liver and stomach damage, ulcers, addiction, headaches plus less serious side effects such as nausea, dizziness, constipation and vomiting.

The benefit of a topical gel is that you can apply it directly to the site of the pain and it is of course an easy and convenient form of pain relief that you can carry with you. Deep Relief is indicated for the relief of rheumatic pain, muscular aches and pains and swellings and for adults and children over 12 years. Available in pharmacies and the recommended price for a 50 g tube is £5.10.